Ferocious and Fierce

Relief From the Heat

Honey Badger hanging from a tree. The Kalahari heat builds, and animals hide from the scorching African sun or find ways to shade themselves.

Foraging For Food

Photograph by Earth Touch

On the surface, it doesn't look like there's a lot to eat here. But she knows a secret animal world thrives in the dark basement of the Kalahari. The best way to get there is to dig.

On the Prowl

Photograph by Earth Touch

Honey badger skin is only loosely connected to muscle, making it almost impossible for a predator to get a grip.

What's This?

Photograph by Earth Touch

A young Honey Badger chewing a piece of fabric she has found.

Honey Badger Father

Photograph by Earth Touch

A Honey Badger playing "what's inside the hands" with guardian Dylan Smith. Dylan works at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve in South Africa as the Wildlife Projects Manager, where he focuses on a huge conservation effort, which supports many endangered animals.

Playing Around

Photograph by Earth Touch

Honey Badger climbs on guardian Dylan Smith's back.

A Super Sniffer

Photograph by Earth Touch

A Honey Badger's sense of smell is 100's of times better than ours.

Born to Dig

Photograph by Earth Touch

Badgers are natural born diggers. Their inch and a half claws help dig fast and dig deep. They can dig 50 holes in a forage.

A Tough Life

Photograph by Earth Touch

In their first two years of life, honey badgers learn the code of defense. Don't back down, or you're dead.

Looking in Logs

Photograph by Earth Touch

Honey badgers tend to forage and hunt solo.

A Key Resistance

Photograph by Earth Touch

Honey Badgers like to look for food in beehives, but bees aren't too happy about that. Does that stop the honey badger? Of course not! He's stung all over, but how does he stand it? With skin so thick it's like military armor. And he's got window like flaps over his ears that close during an attack. But the most powerful defense we can't see: resistance to venom.

An Unlikely Cousin

Photograph by Earth Touch

Honey Badgers are related to otters and are almost as good at swimming.